Lodi
by ChocolateIsMyDrug
Summary: From Veer-Zaara. Lodi is a night of interesting customs.


**A/N: **I watched VZ again, realized how much I loved it and wrote this story all within the space of about six hours. I actually managed to write this without stopping once. Which is like a record for me, because I generally lose inspiration in the middle or get interrupted or pause for five minutes trying to think of what to write next. I hope the end result is good…

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**Lodi**

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Zaara wasn't the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. She wasn't even one of the three most beautiful girls he'd ever seen. And yet, cheesy as it sounded, there was something about her.

He studied her now, as she surveyed the sleepy after-dinner environment before her, the light of the campfire reflected in her eyes. Hers was a pretty face to be sure, but there was no dearth of those in the world. There was not one classically beautiful feature in her face and yet, when she smiled as she was doing now, watching some of the children playing tag, there was a strangely beautiful glow about her which rendered her face uncommonly lovely.

He continued to watch her, noting the way her fine, dark eyelashes contrasted sharply with her fair skin. He saw the faint dimples that appeared even as she smiled slightly while talking.

'Veer? Hello? Captain Veer Pratap Singh? Anyone home?' She waved a hand in front of his face and he started, realizing a little belatedly that she had been trying to talk to him for a while. She looked worried even as he smiled to show that he was listening. 'Are you okay?' she asked concernedly.

He coughed. 'Um… yes, yeah, I'm fine. Really,' he added, as she continued to look at him suspiciously. 'I guess I just spaced out for a while there.' He gave a sigh of relief as she seemed to accept this explanation.

She smiled, and tossing her plait over her shoulder, said in a business-like manner, 'Good. Because I wanted to ask you a couple of questions about your Bauji's Lodi custom.'

Veer smiled resignedly. This seemed to be every girl's favourite custom, and as Chaudhary Sumer Singh's son, he was apparently the authority on the subject. Why they didn't ask for information straight from the horse's mouth, he wasn't sure (Veer did not realize that it is always more fun to ask a good-looking single guy about this custom than it is to ask a married sixty-year-old that one calls 'Bauji'). But through years of answering the questions of various village girls (totally oblivious to their true motives, of course), he could pretty much tell Bauji and Maati's love story (aka The Birth of Bauji's Lodi Custom) off by heart.

Prepared to launch into his ­_Bauji-aur-Maati-ki-prem-kahani_ monologue, Veer was surprised that she did not ask about the history of the custom. Instead she asked, 'What if a guy who is merely infatuated with a girl moves on after confessing as per the custom?'

Veer had to think for a while. Finally he said, 'Well, everyone here knows that confessing your love as per this custom is pretty much a proposal for marriage. And as divorce is expensive and a whole lot of trouble, for most guys, taking this step is something that is carried out only after a lot of thought.'

Zaara laughed delightedly. 'Good answer,' she said. 'You've satisfied my doubt there. But I'm not finished yet. What is a girl to do if, some months or whatever later, she changes her mind about refusing a guy?'

Again Veer had to think. 'I have seen one instance where this happened,' he said at last. 'The girl's change of heart built up for over two years after the proposal was issued. The guy in question didn't ask her again, not wanting to give her pain, even though he still loved her. In the end, she confessed her feelings to him the night before Lodi and then he proposed to her and was accepted. So I suppose if a girl has a change of sentiment, she has to let the guy know and if he still loves her, I guess they live happily ever after.'

Zaara's eyes were starry. 'Oh, that's so romantic,' she breathed. 'Just like in _Pride and Prejudice._ Have you read that?' she inquired enthusiastically.

Veer rolled his eyes. 'I don't read much apart from what I have to read for work and even if I did I wouldn't pick up a _romance_ novel.'

She instantly got defensive. 'It's not just a romance novel. It's also a commentary and a parody on the society in those times. Not to mention that it's also extremely well-written with well-fleshed out characters and a great plot.'

Veer held up his hands in surrender. 'Okay, okay. If you feel that strongly about it, I guess I'll try it.' _Gosh, we're not even married and I'm feeling henpecked._

But then she gave him her trademark wall-to-wall smile for his obedience and he came out thinking that it was quite well worth it. Actually, his thoughts were more in the realm of _I've died and gone to heaven_, but same difference. 'Good. So what were we talking about?' As he opened his mouth to remind her, she said, 'Oh yes. Lodi. By the way, that was another good answer. Now I have just one more question.'

'Shoot,' said Veer, rather amused. Her curiosity of the custom so far stretched beyond that of any of the girls who had besieged him with questions previously.

Zaara, who had before been quite jovial and chirpy, said with a great deal more gravity, 'I saved this one for last, as I think it's the most important question I have. What does a girl do if she loves a guy but he doesn't ask her? What if she just wants to let him know in case he just needs that extra push or whatever?'

Veer's reply was immediate and rather cutting. 'Well, if he hasn't already proposed to her, either he doesn't love her or he's not much of a man, so either way things don't look great for the girl.'

Zaara frowned slightly. 'Well, yes, but you haven't answered my question. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I see, it's up to the guy to confess.' As Veer nodded, she continued, 'But then the girl has no opportunity to express her feelings unless the guy she loves moves first. Do you really think that's fair?'

Suddenly Veer's face split into a grin. 'Why are you asking all this? Is there some guy here that you like?' He nudged her playfully. Her serious expression melted away and she rolled her eyes, pushing his arm away. But even this didn't stop him. 'Come on, Zaara! You can tell me his name. You can whisper it into my ear, go on. I swear I won't tell anyone.' He put his ear close to her face. 'Unless of course you want me to tell him how you feel. To be the messenger, you know.'

She ruffled his hair before pushing his head away. 'You idiot,' she said fondly, 'it's not like that.'

Before she could go on, Veer started again, winking at her. 'I get it! I understand. The reason you're not telling me is because _I'm _that guy. Am I right or am I right?' Pretending to ignore her expression of scandalized amusement, he proceeded to put his arm around her. 'So asking all these questions about that custom was just a way of broaching this subject with me, right?' As soon as she shrugged his arm off her shoulder, it was back there again.

Shrugging it off again, she said playfully in mock resignation, 'Well, I guess you figured out my secret. I love you! No wait, how do they say it? I luuuuurve you.'

Veer tried to contain his laugh as he put his arm around her again. 'I luuuuurve you too, _jaan_. Now I think it is high time for me to demand a kiss and for you to refuse and dance around a tree instead.' He closed his eyes and pouted, moving his face closer to hers.

Zaara looked at him not without amusement – with his lips pouted as they were, he looked quite funny. Eyes still closed, he asked in mock impatience, 'Well? Are you dancing around a tree yet? Should I open my eyes?'

Rolling her eyes she placed her hand on his pouted lips. 'That's enough,' she said, admittedly with some reluctance. 'That's enough silliness for tonight.'

'Veer? Zaara?' Both of them turned on hearing their names called. Bauji and Maati were looking at them with some astonishment. Only then did they realize what they must look like to those who hadn't heard their conversation. Zaara had forgotten to shrug off Veer's arm again and one of her hands was on his lips while the other was on his chest (she had been about to push him away, but to others it might look like she was feeling him up or something). Their faces were also rather close together.

Finally Bauji voiced what was in his thoughts in tones of great incredulity. 'Is there something you haven't told us?'

Zaara didn't know whether to blush or burst out laughing. Veer was apparently in no such dilemma, as he laughed heartily before dispelling their doubts. 'We were just kidding around, honest. Ask Zaara if you don't believe me.'

As they looked to her for confirmation, she felt her face growing hot. What an impression to leave with her hosts! 'He's telling the truth. We _were_ just joking around.' Although it escaped Veer and even herself, Bauji didn't miss the faint wistfulness of her tone or the fact that Veer's laugh, though long, sounded just the tiniest bit forced.

In that infuriating I-know-something-you-don't-know way of parents, Bauji smiled before saying, 'Well, come on then. It's getting quite late.'

As they walked from the village center back home, Bauji and Maati naturally fell into step with each other while Veer and Zaara led the way some ten metres ahead.

The heat in Zaara's face did not seem to be the kind that went easily. 'Oh God, Veer, after I go back, can you _please _explain to your parents?' She went on muttering worriedly under her breath. 'What must they think of me? That I'm some harpy who's out to trap their son? That I'm one of those girls who throws herself at the first good-looking guy she sees?'

Veer observed her rant with some alarm. 'Calm down, Zaara! Honestly, it's not that bad. Of course I'll explain to Bauji and Maati. Lighten up.' As her gloom persisted, he added, grinning, 'Don't worry. When I ask you at the next Lodi, they'll have to agree whether they like it or not.'

Despite her best efforts, she could not suppress her smile. 'You really don't know when to drop it, do you?' Then dropping her smile she adopted a very serious face. 'And what will you do if I refuse you?'

Veer grinned. 'Oh, you won't be able to, darling. You know I'm irresistible; in fact, you'd better keep yourself from asking me before I ask you!'

She rolled her eyes and punched him playfully. What she did not know was that though he acted jokey, Veer was actually seriously considering following out what he'd casually promised. Only who wanted to wait a whole year for Lodi? Tomorrow, he decided, was to be a day of opportunities.

He could first thank her for giving him a day of her life. Then he could ask for all the rest of the days of her life. And then in case she thought that he wanted to murder her or something and got freaked out, he'd spell it out for her.

But that was just cheesy. At the moment he was too tired to think of anything better though. Maybe he'd come up with something tomorrow. It had to be spontaneous and couldn't sound rehearsed. Tomorrow, he would tell her what he felt, come what may.

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**A/N:** So… how was it? Any criticism or comments appreciated!


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